Saskatchewan’s Catholic schools are well on their way to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students before any legislation forces the issue, religious leaders say.

&quot;We know it’s coming. We know we’re going to get requests in our schools. Our people have been working on this well in advance … We don’t want to be at the centre of a public controversy,&quot; said Brett Salkeld, an archdiocesan and theologian with the Regina Roman Catholic Archdiocese.

Saskatchewan’s Opposition NDP has twice tabled bills proposing schools be required to create a gay-straight alliance (GSA) support group when a student or parent requests one. Governments in Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta have all passed similar legislation that compels schools to provide the support groups upon request.

Students’ needs and requests, not the looming threat of a government mandate, are pushing the issue, said Saskatoon Roman Catholic Bishop Don Bolen. He acknowledged Catholic churches and schools are striking a delicate balance between welcoming everyone and sticking to Catholic beliefs that sexual expression belongs only between a married man and woman.

&quot;Life is messy. Neither the church’s teaching or GSAs in isolation are going to avoid that messiness of life,&quot; Bolen said.

Around six years ago, the Saskatchewan Catholic School Boards Association published a guide, and began offering training to teachers and other educators looking for guidance in counselling lesbian and gay students in Catholic schools. Directors of education from across the province asked for more guidance, and the association aims to publish an expanded guide by January, including guidance for accommodating transgender students and how to handle a request for a gay-straight alliance.

The association has already hosted training sessions in Saskatoon and Regina that attracted 150 people, said SCSBA executive director Ken Loehndorf. Although the guidance document isn’t binding on school boards, Loehndorf said he hopes it provides consistency across Saskatchewan.

The Catholic school boards in greater Saskatoon and Regina would not grant interviews on the subject. Both issued written statements saying they believe every student is made in God’s image and deserves dignity and respect. Both indicated they will comply with government policies.

Education Minister Don Morgan said a provincial policy requiring schools to create student alliances for sexual and/or gender diversity and their allies makes any push for legislation moot in Saskatchewan. Legislation is an option he’d consider if schools refuse to comply with the policy, he said.

However, he’s pleased with how open Saskatchewan bishops have been to the idea of more support in school for LGBT students, he added. Many Saskatoon Catholic schools have &quot;youth action circles&quot; that deal with the broader issue of bullying, Loehndorf said. If those groups don’t meet students’ needs, the guidelines will say Catholic schools are

expected to provide a group that does, he said.

Provincial policy says students should name the support group.

Pushback from conservative believers may be inevitable, Loehndorf said.

&quot;I think there’s no doubt, it doesn’t matter what we do, we’re going to get criticized one way or another.&quot;

The guidelines, which will be approved by the province’s Catholic bishops when finalized, will emphasize that schools must be welcoming places for all people, and that bullying is unacceptable, Salkeld said. They’ll also continue to encourage students to be chaste, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Parents and guardians trust Catholic schools with their children, and it’s a responsibility they take seriously, said Leah Perrault, director of pastoral services for the Saskatoon Catholic diocese.

&quot;If society is dealing with these questions, of course Catholic schools are dealing with these questions. We consider it, in light of the tension that exists on these issues, a great privilege that there are families that choose to walk this journey with us given this tension.&quot; jfrench@thestarphoenix.com

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